Sheet metal shelving



Dec. 5, 1933.

M. ZIMMERMAN 1,937,935

SHEET METAL SHELVING Filed Jan. 9, 1931 2 Shets-Sheet 1 flare/6 7% [15757226777242 1933- F. M. ZIMMERMAN SHEET]? METAL SHELVING Fiied Jan. 9. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

III IIIII I II Patented Dec. 5, 1933 PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES 3 Claim.

This invention relates to shelving such, for instance, as may be used in stores, warehouses and the like, and more especially to shelving of a knock-down variety, and of a design adapted for inexpensive manufacture, mainly from sheet metal.

The main objects of the invention are to provide a system of shelving such as referred to, of improved and simplified design; to make such shelving and especially certain parts thereof in such manner as to permit and facflitate ready assemblage, extension from time to time if desired, shelf spacing adjustment, and complete knock-down and interchange of corresponding parts; to provide interfltting members of such shape and design as to assure retention in place by the action of gravity, which may be assisted more or less by resilient frictional contact; and to design the shelving as a whole, and especially the joints, in such manner as to insure strength and rigidity for the system.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 represents in front elevation the upper part of a system of shelving the lower part being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3--3 through the upper part of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 3.

Fig. '7 is a section on the line 7--7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the upper part of one of the front uprights of the shelving system, and shows mainly the front or outward side of the T-bar.

40 Fig. 9 is a somewhat similar view, but shows the inward side of one of the back T.-bars rather than its inward side.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the right hand end of one of the shelf members, other than the top shelf or roof member.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view of one of the top shelves or roof plates.

The sheet metal shelving system 1, shown in the drawings, comprises mainly a group of uprights, front and rear, designated 2 and 3, and arranged in pairs, in combination with shelving members 4, and a top or roof member 5 which may also serve as a shelf, these members being 65 designed and adapted for ready mutual interconnection for assemblage and ready knock-down, as will be more fully explained.

Each front upright 2 consists of a section of T-bar, the head 6 of which is disposed forwardly to constitute part of the front of the shelving go system, and the stem 7 being disposed inwardly to receive and help support the shelving. For this purpose, the stem part 7 is provided with lugs 8 struck out oppositely thereon in pairs. These lugs are integrally connected at their 35 lower ends with a stem 7, and extend outwardly and thence upwardly substantially parallel of the web, but spaced therefrom sufficiently to receive the corresponding part of a shelf 4, as will be explained. These pairs of lugs are arranged in appropriately spaced vertical relation, so as to accommodate shelf spacing adjustment according to the size and character of the goods to be displayed or stored, more or less of the lugs being used according to the number of shelves desired.

Downwardly facing spring lugs, or stops, 9, are provided in pairs adjacent to the edges of the .T-head 6 near its upper end, to engage a corresponding part of the roof or cover member 30 5, as will be more fully pointed out.

The rear uprights 3 are substantially similar in all respects to the front uprights 2, except that they have no top lugs 9, as it is not necessary to positively interlock the roof member 35 therewith, the lugs 9 on the front uprights being sufficient to hold the member 5 in place.

Each shelf 4 consists of sheet metal, preferably iron or steel, and is provided with downwardly turned flanges on all four sides. The front flange 10 serves both as a stiffener and as a label holder, as will be apparent from Figures 4 and 10, a label 11 being shown in Fig. 4, the lower edge being secured releasably by upwardly turned lower edge part 12 of the flange. Each end flange 13 of the shelf has downwardly facing apertures or notches 14 extending about halfway to the body part of the shelf, these notches being adapted to accommodate and receive the corresponding lugs 8 on front and rear uprights. These lugs when in place serve to frictionally grip the part 15 of the end flange above the notches 14.

The back flange 16 of each shelf is plain and serves merely to brace and strengthen the shelf. The top 5 is mainly similar in character to the shelves 4 in that it also may serve as a shelf, but the end flanges are omitted, and the front flange 17 is made somewhat deeper, and is provided with apertures 18 to receive the locking lugs 9 of the front uprights T when the cover is applied. In forming these apertures 18, the metal 19 is struck upwardly at the bottom, and remains connected to the flange 17 at its upper edge, this detail of construction being clearly illustrated in section by Fig. "l. The flange 17 is also provided on its lower edge with a label holding upturned edge part 20, to serve substantially as illustrated in connection with Figure 4.

The front flange 17 and rear flange 21, both serve effectually to stiffen the roof member 5 and thereby adapt it to support heavy loads if desired.

In assembling the shelving two pairs of uprights 2 and 3 are flrst connected by a single shelf 4, after which additional shelves may be set in place, this being accomplished merely by bringing the notches 14 into registry with lugs 8 and then dropping the shelves downwardly into place, forcing them somewhat if necessary in order to overcome friction.

After the shelves are in place, the roof member 5 is applied by forcing it downwardly with the rear flange 21 behind the back upright, and the front flange 1'7 in front of the front upright, care being taken that the apertures 18 register with the lugs 9. .The flange 17 being somewhat resilient, the members readily spring into place with the lugs 9 engaging the flange 17, and thereby locking the top 5 in place.

Whenever it is desired to dismantle the shelving, the reverse operation may be followed. The top 5 may be released merely by pulling forward on the lower edge of flange 1'1 sufficiently to disengage the lug 9, whereupon the top may be lifted out. The shelves may then be lifted sufficiently to disengage the lugs 8, more or less force being applied if necessary, though this is usually accomplished by hand without the use of any tools.

As will be apparent, the shelves are all alike,

and may be interchanged readily, or may be changed in position relative to height, either part or all of the lugs 8 being used, depending upon the specific shelf spacing desired in any particular instance.

It is to be understood that some of the details of the construction shown and described, may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

For instance, strength and rigidity may be increased somewhat by incorporating interlock means at the back edge of cover 5, substantially as in front, as indicated by the dotted lugs 9 on Figs. 3 and 9 and by the dotted apertures 18 on Figs. 3 and 11. Such back locks may be omitted on the smaller units but on large scale units I regard them as important and desirable.

I claim:

1. In a system of shelving of the class described, an upright support of ,T-bar design having on its stem web a pair of upwardly facing lugs struck out oppositely side by side, in combination with a pair of shelves disposed endwise against said upright and resting on said lugs respectively.

2. A system of sheet metal shelving comprising steel bar uprights arranged in pairs, front and rear, and shelves carried thereby, said uprights each having an inwardly disposed web or flange part having lugs struck out oppositely in pairs side by side to receive the corresponding ends of said shelves in approximately abutting relation.

3. A system of sheet metal shelving comprising structural steel uprights front and rear disposed'in pairs and each having a single inwardly disposed flange having oppositely facing upwardly receptive autogenously integral hook lugs formed thereon in pairs, and alined shelves having end apertures to receive said lugs for support thereby.

FRANK M. ZIMMERMAN. 

